Antipodean Peregrinator: Aus Day 22 - Frogs and Rain Storms

Monday 11nd October Aus Day 22

A hot and humid night which I spent with all of the screened windows fully open and still had to sleep in the buff. (Oooooohhhhh, naughty!!!)

However, just before retiring last night at about 10.30, I went to the loo and to clean my teeth. Luckily I had my torch with me as I was greeted by a veritable plague of frogs. It was ‘orrible. Naturally I was careful to check the toilet and shower before I used them this morning.

The dawn chorus was particularly raucous with the Crows and Gullahs competing to make the most noise. As a consequence I was up at 06.45 and having showered, had breakfast Al Fresco. See photo below.

Kippers Sir?

After listening to the birds for while and watching the butterflies flutter through the trees I decided to try and capture a photo. The one below is the best of several attempts:

Butterflies Seem To Be The Only Thing To Stay Still Long Enough For A Photo

However, having idled away enough time, I packed up and was ready to go by 09.20 stopping off in town to refuel. Then hit the Savannah Hwy back towards Cape Crawford which would then continue into the Carpentaria Hwy to the Stuart Hwy at the Hi-Way Inn some 380 kms away.

I was surprised at about 10.35 to come across a round-up with mounted riders controlling a bunch of cattle along the aide of the highway:

Head 'em up and Move 'em Out - Yee Haaa!!!

I followed this shortly after with a view of the single track Savannah Hwy:

Savannah Highway - Reminds Me Of Somewhere Else!

At about 10.50, I sailed past the Cape Crawford Roadhouse without stopping and onto the almost entirely single track Carpentaria Hwy. Some 30 minutes later I pulled into a rest area about 30 kms down the track where I was quite surprised to find the following views:

View North - Just Off The Carpentaria Highway

View West From The Same Rest Area

And JB Was There As Well

I decided that I couldn’t avoid showing you the single track Carpentaria Hwy and so here it is:

Carpentaria Hwy - The Weather Was Nice At This Point

As is my custom, I stopped a little after 12.00 at the next available rest area but this wan’t even worth a photograph for posterity. However, I had now covered 212 km and still ad some way to go:

The Yellow Brick Road Wasn't As Long As This

The rest of the journey passed uneventfully apart from having to follow an escort vehicle through a set of roadworks (about 3 kms long) and having to pull completely off the carriageway on two occasions to let Road Trains through. Well! I wasn’t going to argue with them, was I? Finally, at about 2.30 pm I spotted the following sign and just afterwards, pulled into the roadhouse.

At Last!!! - The Bottom Right Hand Side Said - 'Air Con Bar'

First impression was pretty good and when I found that the rates were only £10 with a sun-downer drink thrown in, I was really impressed. So, with fees duly handed over, I set up in a very select spot under a big tree and proceeded to find out what communications I had, if any. As it turns out, No Mobile, No Internet (WiFi or Otherwise) but, there is a land line which allows overseas calls. Being cut off like this, is driving me barmy. However, succeeded in making contact, which is more than I had managed last night.

Lovey Spot - Saw Skippies in the Field to The Rear

After writing up some note I set off for the bar/restaurant at about 6 pm just as the first drops of rain were falling. Within half an hour this had developed into a full scale storm with torrential rain and thunder and lightning. Unfortunately, this meant that I was stuck in the bar until it eased off at about 8 pm. As I got back to van, I could have done with a pair of waders, it was almost completely surrounded by water. The remains of which you can see in the photo below, which I took the following morning.